Sir Paul sat at rainbow-colored piano during the energetic duet, as Ringo took his original role behind the drums.

The performance sparked a standing ovation from the audience, with John Lennon's widow, with Yoko Ono getting up to dance along.

The appearance by the pair of musical legends from Liverpool is part of the 50th anniversary celebration of the Fab Four going on the Ed Sullivan Show.

On Monday, McCartney and Starr will perform together again at a taping of The Night That Changed America: A Grammys Salute to The Beatles, which will air on Feb. 9 on CBS - the anniversary of the historical show that launched their career in the U.S.